Bal d'Afrique 2009 Eau de Parfum

Bal d'Afrique (Eau de Parfum) by Byredo
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Ranked 59 in Unisex Perfume
8.1 / 10 2258 Ratings
A popular perfume by Byredo for women and men, released in 2009. The scent is floral-fresh. It is being marketed by Manzanita Capital.
Pronunciation
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Main accords

Floral
Fresh
Fruity
Citrus
Sweet

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes Top Notes
TagetesTagetes BergamotBergamot BuchuBuchu LemonLemon NeroliNeroli
Heart Notes Heart Notes
CyclamenCyclamen JasmineJasmine VioletViolet
Base Notes Base Notes
MuskMusk AmberAmber VetiverVetiver Atlas cedarAtlas cedar

Perfumer

Ratings
Scent
8.12258 Ratings
Longevity
6.81973 Ratings
Sillage
6.51951 Ratings
Bottle
7.71839 Ratings
Value for money
6.21282 Ratings
Submitted by DonVanVliet, last update on 07/28/2025.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to
Contralto by Sospiro
Contralto
Vetiver Delight by Emir
Vetiver Delight
Bal d'Afrique (Hair Perfume) by Byredo
Bal d'Afrique Hair Perfume
Bal d'Afrique (Huile Parfum) by Byredo
Bal d'Afrique Huile Parfum
White Forest (Eau de Parfum) by Björk & Berries
White Forest Eau de Parfum
Amalfi Lemon Vetiver by Niche 4 All
Amalfi Lemon Vetiver

Reviews

62 in-depth fragrance descriptions
10
Bottle
7.5
Sillage
5
Longevity
7
Scent
Coutureguru

223 Reviews
Coutureguru
Coutureguru
Helpful Review 7  
Fresh and sweet!
The first time I tried Byredo's Bal d'Afrique a few years ago I thought "meh … just another EDC parading around as an EDP". Then a fascination with Neroli began and I had the opportunity of smelling it on a friend … and found it lovely!

Truthfully, this is a very expensive fragrance for what it is … in fact, the entire line is overpriced imho, but I suppose it all comes down to what one is willing to pay for. I was lucky enough to secure a 'once sprayed' bottle from a friend who was spring cleaning her collection at a very decent price. Replacing it once it is gone will be a bit of an issue :).

I was completely amazed to find that this fragrance contains buchu, which as a South African I know very well in the form of the vile concoction 'Boegoe Brandy', a sort of snake-oil-cure-all remedy used in this country for centuries. I suppose it tastes a bit like Jaegermeister … but a lot rougher. The plant smells vaguely minty and camphorous with a fresh, berry-like note. It's not indigenous to where I live in the North East occurring primarily in the West of the country, but I have had occasion to smell it in it's natural state … once I made the connection it became quite obvious that Bal d'Afrique contains a good dose! It's quite unique smelling, but this fragrance also contains a sweetened Vetiver, which I love!
Neroli essential oil is VERY strong, but it is well controlled here in concert with the other top notes. I do get quite a lot of Violet from this frag bringing a soft sweetness along with it. I'm of the mind that this is what might be taming the Vetiver and keeping it from being overly root-like.

My biggest issue with Byredo is the cost proportional to concentration. This is marketed as an EDP, but it must be at the very bottom end of the oil-to alcohol ratio, because even if the sillage here is satisfactory, longevity is an issue and overspraying to correct that proves costly. I've had quite a bit of success spraying my clothes, however, so that's one way of increasing the lifespan of Bal d'Afrique.

I recommend this fragrance to anyone who enjoys a different take on the classic EDC. Bal d'Afrique is interesting and unique … quite a joy to wear!

A note about cost:

100mls of Bal d'Afrique costs $220 from the website. I love the simplicity of the bottle, but I guess a substantial part of the price resides in the exquisite, but imho, unnecessary packaging. An outer sleeve plus an inner box with a cut out space for the bottle AND a card with the marketing blurb are irrelevant. I'd buy loads of this if it came less expensively packaged. I feel the same way about byKillian. Strangely enough, fancy packaging always makes me wonder what the product is lacking … food for thought!
2 Comments
Byrehoe

195 Reviews
Byrehoe
Byrehoe
Helpful Review 4  
Vogue tresses
Bald Freak she is not, as this is the scent of the most luscious hair I can imagine. Most people seem to brand BdA a citrus, but to my nose she smells like an artisanal shampoo made of marigold blossoms. Bright, zesty, complex, with a “cosmetic-y” core. Like the scent of a celebrity after being gussied by an elite beauty team. However, I feel like she could complement wearers of any age, in any season. Astute reviewer @heliotrope72 said it smelled like “a type-A person on vacation,” and yup, I see it. I've never smelled anything else quite like BdA. She will probably be the next Byredo I buy a full bottle of because I'm on my fifth tester vial. Lifespan is, alas, mid. The things we do for the beautiful…

Mental Snapshot: The morning starts with a neroli oil deep tissue massage, followed by a cocoa butter Lomi Lomi. Every cuticle is caressed, every hair coaxed into skeins of silk. As you recline in your chair, you’re primped, powdered, spritzed, styled, and maybe even titivated. You’ve never been Photoshopped once in press. Not when you look this good.

tl;dr: A-list salon
0 Comments
4
Pricing
9
Bottle
7
Sillage
7
Longevity
9.5
Scent
AnnaMKJ

18 Reviews
AnnaMKJ
AnnaMKJ
3  
My signature scent
Unless I find something better on my perfume journey, this will be my signature scent. I love it the most among the other perfumes in my collection and wish list. It is very unique, recognizable, well-blended, and non-offensive scent. I can’t complain about the longevity and sillage; it lasts quite a while on my skin. It is expensive, but considering the quality, I think it's worth it.
0 Comments
ClaireV

774 Reviews
ClaireV
ClaireV
Helpful Review 2  
Full of sun and sparkle
In a brand full of crowd-pleasing fragrances, Bal D'Afrique is probably the most crowd-pleasing-est of them all. People love this fragrance.

And damn it, I love this fragrance too. It's kind of hard not to. I like to think of it as a sparkly, sunlit version of Vetiver Tonka, made all giggly with forest fruit, violets, and lemon. It is one of those perfumes that seems to be all things to all people. Some describe it as musky, cedary violets, some as a creamy lemon scent, and some as a fruity, nutty vetiver. And truth be told, it's all of those things, and more.

Nothing about Bal D'Afrique stands out and that feels like a deliberate decision. Nudged more firmly in one direction or another, it could easily have been pegged as a vetiver fragrance, a woody violet, a fruity floral, even a foodie amber. But Bal D'Afrique contains a touch of everything and doesn't press down too hard on one particular note, so it ends up playing like a low-key medley of tunes you hear in a cocktail lounge - wonderfully pleasing but sparkling at a low enough wattage so as not to distract from conversation.
0 Comments
6
Pricing
10
Bottle
6
Sillage
5
Longevity
9.5
Scent
Bigdelofsky

2 Reviews
Bigdelofsky
Bigdelofsky
3  
A bottle of happiness
This fragrance is very well blended a mixture of soft vetiver with a little sweetness, and a bit floral. Perfect for a summer day and one of the few summer fragrances that really stand out. Performance could be better but this is not a screamer. 3 hours in it becomes a skin scent. Very pleasant soft and unique.
0 Comments
More reviews

Statements

43 short views on the fragrance
BertolucciKBertolucciK 5 years ago
8
Bottle
6
Sillage
6
Longevity
9
Scent
Well-blended scent that opens with a creamy lemon. In the drydown, the scent gets a little more floral, woody, rounded by a beautiful musk.
0 Comments
EstbienlaEstbienla 4 years ago
7
Bottle
6
Sillage
6
Longevity
6.5
Scent
Exotic, pretty trail quite discreet and floral. more feminine than masculine to me.
0 Comments
VsakegaVsakega 1 year ago
9
Scent
Love the woody/aromatic/fruity combo. Easy reach, clean but still fun and interesting.
0 Comments
MariaSMariaS 3 years ago
6
Sillage
6
Longevity
8
Scent
This is so beautiful cozy scent, it’s like a sunshine!! It’s so sad that it doesn’t last!
0 Comments
KingPinKingPin 6 years ago
7
Bottle
6
Sillage
7
Longevity
7
Scent
Fresh, fruity, sweet and flowery. Well composed but a bit pricey for what you get.
0 Comments
AymabAymab 9 months ago
8
Bottle
5
Sillage
5
Longevity
8.5
Scent
You can't go wrong with this fragrance. It's fresh and pleasant. I wish it lasted longer. Seriously disappointing performance for the price.
0 Comments
Hartsy3Hartsy3 2 years ago
5
Sillage
6
Longevity
9
Scent
Luxery shampoo, spa retreat, therapeutic in the best way. It is very lite and more intimate. This is just for you to enjoy.
0 Comments
TuxedoManTuxedoMan 4 years ago
10
Bottle
8
Sillage
8
Longevity
10
Scent
Beautiful fresh-sweet, solar, colorful, woodsy citrusy and aromatic vetiver with the added character and uniqueness of the african flowers.
0 Comments
Sofi999Sofi999 5 months ago
5
Sillage
6
Longevity
10
Scent
One of the best clean, creamy type unisex perfumes. I can see why it won so many hearts over (including mine). This will always be top 10.
0 Comments
JusabustinJusabustin 2 months ago
8
Bottle
6
Sillage
7
Longevity
10
Scent
Sweet and warm, like falling in love under a sunset.
1 Comment
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